


Her Emperor's Knight

by WotanAnubis



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Chivalry, Crimson Flower, F/F, Ingrid's Complicated Sexuality, Two People Chatting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 15:16:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20602928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WotanAnubis/pseuds/WotanAnubis
Summary: In which Ingrid has to answer a difficult question.





	Her Emperor's Knight

Ingrid stood to attention in what had been Rhea's study, but was now the Emperor. The Emperor herself stood at the window overlooking the Monastery, but there was no telling what she actually saw out there. The Emperor's gaze was always fixed on the future.

Ingrid didn't know why she'd been summoned. She had neither neglected her duties nor stirred up trouble. But she also hadn't performed some magnificent feat or performed some great service. She was not here to be punished or rewarded, so why?

At last, the Emperor, still looking out the window, her back still to Ingrid, spoke.

"Why are you here?"

Someone else might have replied with something like _'Because you summoned me'_, but Ingrid had no real interest in being tiresomely witty. Unfortunately, it was the only real answer she had.

"My Emperor?" she said instead.

"Why have you joined this army?" the Emperor asked.

Ah. Yes. That was the trouble, wasn't it? Ingrid didn't know herself. She only knew that this was where she ought to be. But she had a feeling that answer wouldn't satisfy the Emperor.

"Hubert is with me because he's a close friend and he shares my vision. Ferdinand because he feels it's his duty as my advisor to stand by me. Lorenz because his House allied with the Empire. Lysithea because she hates Crests almost as much as I do. And let's not forget, there are several who are here because they followed my- our Teacher. Everyone has a reason for being here. Except you."

"Begging your pardon, my Emperor," Ingrid said, "but I already was a Black Eagle student for several months before... before the incident at the Tomb."

"Ah? So you, too, are here because of our Teacher? Is that what you're saying?"

Ingrid was silent for a second or two before replying. "No, my Emperor."

"Then why?"

"Because... because you are my Emperor," Ingrid said.

"But I'm not," said the Emperor. "You are a scion of House Galatea, a noble family of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus and an offshoot of House Daphnel from the Alliance. But your family has no real ties to Adrestia. How, then, can I be your Emperor?"

"Because I'm your knight."

The Emperor finally turned away from the window and faced Ingrid. She kind of wished she hadn't. Those cool, lavender eyes seemed to stare straight into her soul.

"How do you mean?" the Emperor asked. Warmth had crept into her voice. Not much of it. A flickering ember amidst the ice. But there, all the same.

"I mean what I say, my Emperor," Ingrid said. "I serve you."

"Why? Decided to be 'my knight' on a whim, did you?" the Emperor asked.

"You know I didn't," Ingrid snapped. Then, blushing, added, "Uh... my Emperor. Sorry for that outburst."

"It's fine," the Emperor said calmly. "I'm only surprised it took so long. But I'd still like an answer."

Ingrid gave her a helpless look. What could she say? How could possibly make the Emperor understand her feelings for her when she didn't even really understand them herself? Where would she even begin?

She loved her. That was a start, but it wasn't _the_ start. Dorothea loved Petra. Annette loved singing. Raphael loved his little sister. There were many kinds of love, but none that really suited the way Ingrid felt about her Emperor. Her feelings for her Emperor went so much deeper than that, not even poets would be able describe them.

Devotion? Duty? Loyalty? These were all expressions of her feelings, not the feelings themselves.

"Ingrid?" her Emperor said gently.

Ingrid blinked. "I... I don't know. I'm not sure I have an answer."

"Could you at least give it a try?" her Emperor asked in a tone of voice that was almost soothing.

Ingrid closed her eyes and tried to sort out her thoughts. It didn't work. Her thoughts were a mess. But her Emperor had asked her to give it a try, so give it a try she would.

Ingrid opened her eyes again.

"I'm a knight," she said.

Her Emperor nodded encouragingly, but said nothing.

"And... and a knight is supposed to serve a Lord. For me that Lord is you, my Emperor. You are the one I am supposed to serve." Ingrid gestured helplessly with her arm. "That's it. That's all I've got."

"Why not Dimitri?" her Emperor asked. "He's your King."

"He's not," said Ingrid. "Not any more. Not since I've started following you, my Emperor."

"Forgive me," her Emperor said. "That was thoughtlessly put."

"Yes, well, don't worry about it," Ingrid said hurriedly. For some reason hearing her Emperor apologize to her was very upsetting. "As to your question... I suppose... I think... I believe Dimitri would've made a fine King in times of peace. But the world's broken, and the best he would do is paper over the cracks. He might've made things better, for a while, but he wouldn't fix them. You would. You _will_. **You** will remake the world. And I... My life... I mean... I am here, not here at Garreg Mach, or here in your army, but _here_, alive in this world, to serve you. That's why I exist."

Her Emperor smiled. "A true knight," she said, a hint of irony to her voice. "Straight out of a fairytale."

"I hope so," Ingrid said. "In any event, you have your answer. And I think I have mine."

Her Emperor titled her head just slightly and looked at her. _Really_ at her. For once her lavender gaze wasn't distracted by her vision for future or the faults she saw in her soul. In this one moment she had her Emperor's full attention.

Ingrid thought she was going to pass out. Or throw up.

The sounds of her Emperor's bootheels as she started walking towards her were like thunderclaps.

"So, my wish is your command, is that it?" her Emperor asked.

"Your command is my wish," Ingrid replied.

A smile flashed across her Emperor's face. "You'll battle all of my enemies?"

"Of course," said Ingrid.

"You would lay down your life for me?" her Emperor asked.

"Yes."

"You would slaughter innocents in my name?"

"You would not command me to do that," said Ingrid. "If you were that kind of ruler, I would not be your knight."

"But you are my knight, so I can't be that kind of ruler." 

"As you say, my Emperor."

Her Emperor was close now. Close enough that Ingrid could feel the warmth of her body. Her Emperor raised a gloved hand and caressed her cheek. Ingrid found herself leaning into it.

"Do you love me, my knight?"

She served her. She lived for her. She would die for her. She existed solely for Her.

"I love you, my Emperor."

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't manage to work in the bit where Ingrid muses on the fact that she really loves genie-of-the-lamp stories. Considering I thought of that bit in the middle of the night, this is probably for the best.


End file.
